Edge clinching mechanism



Aug. 31, 1937. J. H. ELLIOTT EDGE CLINCHING MECHANISM 5 Sheet s-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 25, 1956 -3 1937- J. H. ELLIOTT 2,091,474 EDGE CLINCHING MECHANISM Filed Nov. 25, 1.936 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Aug. 31, 1937. J. H. ELLIOTT EDGE CLINCHING MECHANISM s Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Nov. 25, 1956 m Qm Patented Aug. 31, 1937 EDGE CLINCHING DEECHANISM John H. Elliott, Springfield, Ohio, assignor to International Harvester Company, a. corporation of New Jersey Application November 25, 1936, Serial No. 112,756

9 Claims.

This invention relates to a new and improved machine for assembling automobile doors. More specifically, it relates to a clinching machine for turning down flanges in the assembly of steel automobile doors. Metal automobile doors are usually constructed of two sheet steel panels with their body portions oiiset from each other, so as to form a chamber between the two panels. The edge portions of the two panels are formed with parallel flanges lying in contact with each other. One of the panels is formed with a right angled flange which, in the construction of the door, is bent over the mating flange. This operation is usually spoken of as clinching.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide an improved means for assembling automobile doors of the construction above referred to.

Another object is to provide such a machine which is readily adapted to doors of different sizes without constructing expensive devices as heretofore used.

Another object is to provide a clinching machine particularly adapted to follow doors of irregular shapes, both as to curvatures in the general plane of the door and curvatures in planes at right angles thereto.

The above objects and others relating to details and construction of the machine are accomplished by a construction, a preferred embodiment of which is shown in the accompanying drawings:

Figure l is a plan view of the complete machine with a door in position for an assembly operation;

Figure 2 is a vertical transverse section taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a side elevation of one of the clinching carriages with a portion of the track shown in elevation and with a portion of one of the members of the carriage broken away in section to better show the construction;

Figures 4, 5 and 6 are enlarged transverse sections through the edge portion of a door, showing the different steps in the assembly operation;

Figure I is a horizontal section taken substantially on the line "l-'l of Figure 2;

Figure 8 is a vertical section taken on the line 8-8 of Figure 1;

Figure 9 is an isometric view of the main frame of the carriage; and,

Figure 10 is a perspective view of one of the draft arms which draw the carriages.

As shown in Figure 1, the entire machine rests upon a bed or table Ii}. A fixture for holding the door, constructed of a shape to fit the outline of the door, consists of supporting members ll surrounding the door and terminating at the outer edges thereof and guide members i 2 secured to the outer faces of the members H. The lower edges of the guide members 52 are flush with the lower sides of the members H. The upper edges of the guide members [2 extend above the upper sides of the members H and overlapthe upstanding flanges it, which are integral with the outer door panel M. Said panel rests on the upper sides of the members ii. A curvature is shown in said panel to illustrate the shape of the door. It is to be understood that the door is also curved in the other direction, and may be provided with irregularities in shape other than plane curvatures. It will be noted that the upper edges of the guide member 12 are beveled at l5 to provide a guide track, as will be hereinafter described.

The door fixture is held in position by a plu- A To assemble the door, 2

positioned on the inner panel and forced thereagainst by a toggle linkage 20, which may be se- 5 cured at its upper end to any suitable support 2 I.

A flat comparatively thin guide track 22 is mounted around the door holding fixture, spaced laterally and downwardly below the guide members i2. Said track is supported in position by a plurality of blocks 23 mounted on the bed ii). A link chain 2 1 is mounted below the track 22 and between the track and the door fixture on a plurality of chain sprockets 25 positioned at suitable locations. It will be noted that at the sharp corners of the door the track extends away from the door in each direction, making a loop, whereby the carriage, which is to be hereinafter described, makes a loop and returns to proper position for crimping the bottom flange of the door. The chain sprockets are located so that the chain follows as closely as possible along the track in the same relative position with respect thereto. The crimping carriages are constructed to follow the track and to carry crimping rollers, which properly engage the flanges to be turned down around the entire periphery of the door.

Each carriage includes a main frame 26, shown alone in Figure 9. Said frame consists of a vertical portion 2] provided with a dovetail extension Nix 23 and a horizontal portion 29 provided with lateral extensions 39 and a horizontal extension 3! of a reduced vertical thickness. The lateral extensions 36 are provided with horizontal bores 5 32. To complete the main frame, a transverse opening 33, rectangular in cross section, is formed by a block 34 fitting in the horizontal portion 29 and a member 35 fitted on the block and against the vertical portion 2?. The member 35 and the block 34 are rigidly secured by screws, as shown,

to the main portion of the supporting member.

By means of a stub shaft til extending vertical- 1y into the main frame 26 from the bottom side thereof, an inner track engaging roller ill is rotatably mounted on the frame member. Said roller is grooved to closely fit the edge of the track 22.

To provide a support and guide at the outer side of the track, two grooved track rollers 38 are rotatably mounted on vertical pivot pins 33 rigidly secured to a supporting member positioned parallel to the track. Said member is provided with a rectangular opening at right angles to the track through which the portion of the main 5 frame slidably extends. By means of this construction, the two outer track rollers are supported for movement relative to the main frame. For resiliently urging said rollers against the track, guide pins Gil, secured to the member 39,

slidably extend through the bores 32 in the lateral extensions 36 of the main frame. Springs All abutting the extensions 3% and nuts threaded on the guide pins keep the means for holding the main frame resiliently in position on the track.

For pulling the carriage along the track, an arm 32 of a special construction is provided. Said arm is formed with a slot which includes two curved portions. Said curved portions are formed as arcs with the center of one at the end of the 40 other. Pins M, as best shown in Figure 7, extend into bores formed in the member 35 and slidably extend through the arm 62 in the slots 35. Inspection of Figure 7 will show how the arcuate slots function to allow the pulling arm 32 to have a substantial movement when turning corners around the ends of the door. The pulling arm 42 is provided with a bent-down end portion 45, which is extended outwardly to provide a support for a pin 46. Said pin is adapted to be secured to one of the links by any suitable means. By applying power to any one of the sprocket wheels 25, the chain is moved about the sprockets, thereby pulling the carriages by means of the arms iii.

A guide roller supporting member M is provided with a vertical portion having a recess, dovetail in cross section, as best shown in Figure '7, to be slidable on the dovetailed portion 28 of the main frame in a Vertical direction. A horizontal upper portion 48 of the member ll extends over the top of the vertical portion ill of the main frame. A compression spring 49, fitted in a bore 56 formed in the vertical portion 27 of the main frame, abuts the horizontal portion 48, thereby urging the guide roller support upwardly.

A guide roller 55 is mounted on ball bearings on a stub shaft extending laterally from the support 49; Said roller has a flat surface, which engages the lower edge of the guide members l2 as the carriage is drawn along the door. The

roller also has a radially extending flange 53, which engages the lower side member of the guide member l2. By this means the carriage is mounted in proper position relative to the fixture which supports the door.

7 Two guide posts 54 extend vertically upwardly from the horizontal portion 43 of the guide roller support. Said posts are secured in bores by pins 55. A crimping roller support 56 is slidably mounted on the posts 54, said posts extending through vertical bores formed in said member. 5 Compression springs 57, surrounding extensions 58 of the post of reduced diameter, abut washers 55 mounted on the upper side of the member 55 and nuts threaded on the extensions. Said springs act to urge the crimping roller support 10 downwardly. As shown in Figure 8, a final crimping roller as is mounted by means of a ball bearing assembly on a stub shaft 60 rigidly secured on a horizontal axis to the support 56. Said roller is provided with a radial flange 6!, in which operates in contact with the upper sides of the guide members I2. The roller is provided with a conical face 62, which operates along the beveled track surface formed on the upper edges of the guide members l2. Adjacent the conical 20 portion, the roller is provided with a substantially cylindrical face 53 adapted to engage the flanges on the bottom door panel and to press them into completely clinched position.

As shown in Figure 5, a crimping roller is 25 illustrated with an entire conical face. A roller of this type is first used to initially bend the flanges it. Two or more stages may be utilized with each roller to further bend the flange. The final roller is preferably of the shape shown in Figure 6. The rollers may be carried successively by a plurality of carriages, two of which are illustrated in Figure 1. Three or more carriages may be utilized, as less stretching of the flange is obtained when each operation bends it only a small angle.

The operation of the machine as above described has been referred to at different points in the description. As the carriages are drawn around the track by the pulling arms 43 and 40 the chain 25,, the carriages are mounted in proper position on the track by the inner track roller 37 and the outer track rollers 38. The mounting of the outer rollers on the supporting member 69, which is slidable with respect to the main 45 frame 26, provides means to allow the carriages to swing around the bent portions of the track. As the carriages move along, the guide roller 5| is maintained in position against the door fixture by contact of the smooth portion of the roller 50 with the bottom of the guide members 62 and by contact of the radial flange 53 with the lower side walls of the guide members. The vertical relative movement provided by the dovetail connection between the guide roller support and the 5 main frame takes care of irregularities in the curvatures of the door relative to the track.

As the carriages are drawn along, guided in position as above set forth, the clinching rollers follow along the guide member I 2 by contact with 0 the beveled track surface thereon and by contact with the upper side Walls thereon, the slidable mounting and the compression springs 57 maintaining the guide roller support in contact with the guide members. 65

The carriages may be drawn around curved corners, or corners formed as obtuse angles, with a direct bend of the track. It is preferable, however, for acute angle corners and right angle corners to move the carriages away from the 70 door by bending the track outwardly, and to bring the carriages back at the proper angle to engage the crimping rollers with the door flanges. The .construction illustrated is somewhat diagrammatic, the exact curvatures not being shown, 7 5

However; the principlesis illustrated satisfactorily to clearly disclose the operation... The carriage shown in Figure 1 in dotted lines illustrates the position after making the bend and returning with the clinching rollertincontact with the bottom flange of. the. .door. In or'der to secure proper engagement when returning to thedoor, the guideroller 5i is provided with a conical end portion '54, as. shown in Figure 8. This takes care of any slight tilting movement of the carriage relative to the door fixture and the track. v

It isto be understood that, although applicant has disclosed an embodiment of his improved flange crimping means inconnection with a particular type of steel door construction, he contemplates as his invention all modifications falling within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A machine for crimping metal flanges of irregular shape which comprises a fixture for holding the flange to be crimpedfa track arranged in parallel relation to and spaced from said flange, a carriage mounted on said track, means for resiliently holding the carriage on the track whereby it may follow irregularities therein,f'and 1'9; crimping means mounted on the carriage for vertical movement with respect thereto whereby the crimping means may follow irregularities in the flange to be crimped.

2. A machine for crimping metal flanges of irregular shape which comprises a fixture for holding the flange to be crimped, a guide member along said flange, a track arranged in parallel relation to and spaced from said flange, a carriage mounted on said track, and means for resiliently holding the carriage on the track whereby it may follow irregularities in the guide member and a crimping means may follow irregularities in the flange to be crimped.

3. A device for crimping metal flanges of irregular shape which comprises a fixture for holding the flange to be crimped, a track arranged in a uniformly spaced relation from said flange,

' a carriage mounted on said track, means for resiliently holding the carriage on the track whereby it may follow irregularities therein, a guide roller support mounted for reciprocation in the carriage in the direction of extension of the flange, and a crimping roller resiliently carried by the guide roller support whereby it may follow up and down irregularities in the flange to be crimped.

4. A clinching machine for bending down the edge flanges of a two piece sheet metal structure comprising a fixture on which the structure is mounted with an upstanding flange along one edge of the fixture, a guide member secured to the fixture, a track mounted spaced outwardly from the flange, a carriage mounted for movement on said track, a guide roller support mounted for vertical reciprocation on the frame member, a guide roller carried by said support and adapted to abut the bottom and the outer side wall of the guide member, spring means for resiliently urging the guide roller support upwardly, a roller support mounted for vertical reciprocation on the guide roller support, a crimping roller rotatably mounted on a horizontal axis on said support, resilient means for urging said support downwardly whereby the crimping roller is maintained against the guide member, and means for drawing the carriage along the track.

5. A clinching machine for bending down the edge flanges of a two piece sheet metal structure co'mprisinga fixture on'which the structure is mounted with an upstanding flange along one edge of the fixture, a guide member securedto the fixture, a track mounted spaced outwardly from the flange, a carriage mounted for movementon said track, a guide roller support mounted for vertical reciprocation on the frame member, a guide roller carried by said support and adapted to abut the bottom and the outer side wall of the guide member, a roller support mounted for vertical reciprocation on the guide roller support, a crimping roller rotatably mounted on a horizontal axis on said support, means for urging said support downwardly whereby the crimping roller is maintained against the guide member, and means for drawing the carriage along the track.

6. In a machine for bending down the edge flanges of two piece steel doors, the combination of a fixture on which the door to be assembled is mounted with an upstanding flange on the door positioned along an edge of the fixture, a guide member secured to the fixture and extending upwardly in overlapping relation with respect to said flange,*a' track mounted along said guide member and spaced outwardly therefrom, a carriage mountedfor movement on said track, said carriage including a main frame member, a guide roller support mounted for vertical reciprocation on the frame member, a guide roller carried by said support and adapted to abut the bottom and the outer side wall of the guide member, spring means for resiliently urging the guide roller support upwardly whereby the guide roller is maintained in engagement with the guide member, a roller support mounted for vertical reciprocation on the guide roller support, a crimping roller rotatably mounted on a horizontal axis on the roller support, resilient means for urging said support downwardly whereby the crimping roller is urged against the guide member on the fixture, and means for drawing the carriage along the track.

'7. In a machine for bending down the edge flanges of two piece steel doors, the combination of a fixture on which the door to be assembled is mounted with an upstanding flange on the door positioned along on edge of the fixture, a guide member secured to the fixture and extending upwardly in overlapping relation with respect to said flange, a track mounted along said guide member and spaced outwardly therefrom, a carriage mounted for movement on said track, said carriage including a main frame member, a guide roller support mounted for vertical reciprocation on the frame member, a guide roller carried by said support and adapted to abut the bottom and the outer side wall of the guide member, a roller support mounted for vertical reciprocation on the guide roller support, a crimping roller rotatably mounted on a horizontal axis on the roller support, resilient means for urging said support downwardly whereby the crimping roller is urged against the guide member on the fixture, and means for drawing the carriage along the track.

8. A clinching machine for bending down the edge flanges of a two piece sheet metal structure comprising a fixture on which the structure is mounted with an upstanding flange thereon around the edge of the fixture, a track mounted spaced outwardly from the flange, a carriage mounted for movement on said track, said carriage including a main frame member, a track roller mounted on a vertical axis below said member, an outer track roller support mounted for reciprocation transversely of the track on said frame member, a pair of track rollers mounted on said support, spring means for urging said support toward the frame member whereby the track rollers engage the opposite sides of said track, a guide roller support mounted for vertical reciprocation on the frame member, a guide roller carried by said support and adapted to abut the bottom and the outer side wall of the fixture, spring means for resiliently urging the guide roller support upwardly, a roller sup-port mounted for vertical reciprocation on the guide roller support, a crimping roller rotatably mounted on a horizontal axis on said support, resilient means for urging said support downwardly whereby the crimping roller is maintained against the fixture, and means for drawing the carriage around the track.

9. In a machine for bending down the edge flanges of two piece steel doors, the combination of a fixture on which the door to be assembled is mounted with an upstanding flange on the door positioned around the edge of the fixture, a guide member secured to the fixture and extending upwardly in overlapping relation with respect to said flange, a track mounted around said guide member and spaced outwardly therefrom, a carriage mounted for movement on said track, said carriage including a main frame member, a track roller mounted on a vertical axis below said member, an outer track roller support mounted for reciprocation transversely of the track on said frame member, a pair of track rollers mounted on said support, spring means for urging said support toward the frame member whereby the track rollers engage the opposite sides of said track, a guide roller support mounted for vertical reciprocation on the frame member, a guide roller carried by said support and adapted to abut the bottom and the outer side wall of the guide member on the fixture, spring means for resiliently urging the guide roller support upwardly whereby the guide roller is maintained in engagement with the guide member, a roller support mounted for vertical reciprocation on the guide roller support, a crimping roller rotatably mounted on a horizontal axis on the roller support, resilient means for urging said support downwardly whereby the crimping roller is urged against the guide member on the fixture, and means for drawing the carriage around the track.

JOHN H. ELLIOTT. 

